This invention relates to a training aid.
When doing the exercise known as the bench press, a lifter lies on a horizontal bench with his buttocks, shoulders and head in contact with the bench. The knees are bent so that the feet can be placed flat on the floor, which assists in stabilizing the lifter on the bench. The lifter reaches up and grasps a barbell in both hands. The lifter takes a deep breath, stabilizing the chest to give a firm base for the muscular action involved in the lift. In his own time, the user lowers the barbell to his chest. This must be done under control.
The lifter drives the bar from the chest, in the initial starting position, when the barbell is resting on the chest, it will not lie over the fulcrum of the shoulder joint but will be some 2 or 3 inches forward of this point. This means that there is a forward weight arm and consequent mechanical disadvantage right from the start of the drive. The forward weight arm must be eliminated and in order to do this the user eases the barbell back during the drive to bring it over the shoulder fulcrum. While the drive must be very determined, care must be taken to ensure that the elbows are not lifted upwards and forward, as this would throw too great a resistance on the triceps too soon. It will be in the mid-range of the movement that the user will encounter the greatest difficulties. This area is known as the "sticking point" or point of the greatest mechanical and anatomical disadvantage. Here the horizontal weight arms are at their greatest and there is a weak link between the change over of one muscle group to another. The initial part of the drive is developed by strong action of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid and serratus anterior. At the mid-section of the press, the role of these muscles is diminishing and the triceps are beginning to take on a greater responsibility in the movement. It is here that the weakness occurs. As the barbell passes through the mid-range, it becomes increasingly easy to complete the movement. The lift is completed when the arms are fully straightened.
It is important to note that the groove is a spot that is 1 to 3 inches up from the bottom of the lower pectoralis major. Maintaining the groove position is very important, in order to obtain the best mechanical advantage.
The aim in the bench press exercise is to complete a certain number of repetitions, e.g. 10 repetitions, with a given weight on the barbell. The lifter may train at a first weight level until he is comfortable at that weight level and can perform the desired number of repetitions, and then increase the weight of the barbell to a higher level and train at the higher level until he is comfortable at that weight level and can perform the desired number of repetitions. In this manner, the lifter progressively increases the weight level at which he exercises.
There are mental and physical barriers to increasing the weight level in the bench press exercise. First, the effort that the lifter can exert when pushing the barbell upward is lower when the barbell is just touching the lifter's chest than when the barbell is slightly above the lifter's chest and consequently, when the weight of the barbell is increased, the fear of being unable to raise the barbell may intimidate the lifter as he lowers the barbell and he might not lower the barbell fully, so that it touches his chest. Secondly, assuming that the lifter is able to lower the barbell at the higher weight level so that the bar just touches his chest, there is a danger of injury, particularly to the shoulder, on exerting the effort needed to raise the barbell at the higher weight level.